Students will be able to enrich their existing high school arts programming by learning from and working closely with a broad variety of Festival personnel, from actors and artists to crew members and administrative staff.

Stratford Festival

School Partnership Forms New Academy

The Stratford Festival has partnered with the Avon Maitland District School Board to create My Academy to provide Stratford students with a once-in-a-lifetime integrated arts opportunity to develop their skills and broaden their knowledge of the performing arts.

My Academy will launch in February 2016, combining the rigors of onstage performance practices and behind-the-scenes craftsmanship. Students will be able to enrich their existing high school arts programming by learning from and working closely with a broad variety of Festival personnel, from actors and artists to crew members and administrative staff. The depth of study has been shaped to include all aspects of the theater world, including acting (text, movement, and voice), costume and set design, lighting and sound design, and stage management. The program will culminate in an abridged production of one of Shakespeare’s works at the Festival's Studio Theatre in May 2016.

“We’re delighted to be able to make this opportunity available to students in Avon Maitland schools,” Executive Director Anita Gaffney said in a press release. “Not only will My Academy help participants develop new skills and gain insight into different theatrical careers, but it will also allow them to build important relationships within the theater community.”

“We are tremendously excited about our new partnership with the Stratford Festival,” Jane Morris, superintendent of education with the Avon Maitland District School Board, said in the release. “As our nation’s leading classical theater, the Festival will help us to provide unique and enriching learning experiences for our students.”

The program is made up of two parts. The first is an after-school program open to all registered, full-time Avon Maitland students in grades 7 to 12. The second is a one-credit course, “Exploring and Creating in the Arts,” offered at Stratford Central Secondary School. The focus is to develop students’ acting and production skills while maintaining a focus on good citizenship, inclusion, and positive character development.

The after-school program costs $750, but to ensure that finances do not impede the ability of any student to apply, subsidies and grants will be available.